The invention is based on a connecting device for the articulated connection of a wiper blade to a wiper arm and an adaptor.
Besides a wiper arm which is driven by a drive unit, windshield wipers for motor vehicles have a wiper blade which is connected in an articulated manner to the wiper arm via a connecting device. Whereas the drive unit and the wiper arm are not considered consumable parts and have service lives that extend over the life of the vehicle, the wiper blade has to be more frequently renewed. In order to replace the wiper blade, it is desirable that said wiper blade can easily be removed from the wiper arm and can be adapted to a plurality of wiper arm types; thus enabling the component diversity to be held to a minimum. Because the wiper arm belongs to the original equipment of the motor vehicle, said wiper arm is greatly influenced by the motor vehicle manufacturer in the shape and design thereof, whereas the wiper blade as a consumable component lies within the sphere of influence of the aftermarket supplier.
In order to meet the requirements mentioned above, concepts were developed in which a connecting element is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the wiper blade, preferably to the supporting element thereof, and comprises a part of a joint. The joining element can be integrally formed with the supporting element or attached as a separate component to the same. In so doing, said connecting element can be of single- or multiple-part configuration. An adaptor is connected in an articulated manner to the joint part of the connecting element, e.g. a hub or a pivot pin, by means of a corresponding joint part. The adaptor comprises form and operational means, by means of which said adaptor fits to a plurality of types of wiper arms or, respectively, joining elements which can be connected to the respective wiper arm in a rotationally fixed but detachable manner.
A wiper blade comprising a carrier bracket system is known from the WIPO patent application WO 2004 0696 18 A1, in which an adaptor is suited to the articulated connection of a wiper rod having a hook-shaped end as well as to a wiper arm comprising a straight wiper rod and to a wiper arm which is connected to the wiper blade according to the side lock principle.
In addition, a connecting device for the articulated connection of a wiper blade of flat beam construction is known from the German patent application DE 202005021307, said connecting device being suited to different wiper arms. The connecting device comprises at least one one-piece or multi-piece connecting element, which is fixedly, but detachably, connected to a supporting element in the form of spring rails, as well as a bearing element on which or in which a bearing element fixedly connected to the wiper arm is pivotably mounted and if need be comprises one or a plurality of intermediate pieces, by means of which the connecting options of the connecting element can be matched to the receiving means of the joining element of the wiper arm. Said connecting pieces are different for all applications of the connecting device. The connecting device is suited to a wiper arm comprising a hook-shaped end or, respectively, joining element or to an end or, respectively, joining element comprising a lateral bearing pin and a bridge corresponding to a known side lock principle or to a wiper arm comprising an end or, respectively joining element, in which the wiper arm extends substantially in a straight line above the wiper blade and is connected to the connecting element according to the top lock principle.
The German patent application DE 10 2009 000483 A1 discloses a connecting device for a wiper blade of flat beam construction which can be connected in an articulated manner to four different wiper arms or, respectively, joining elements of the wiper arms by means of an adaptor comprising a covering cap. The adaptor has a spring clip at the end thereof facing the drive. Said spring clip extends in a longitudinal direction and has latching cams which project on the outward facing side surfaces thereof and have two stop surfaces towards the driven end. The first stop surface together with the supporting element encloses an acute angle, whereas the second stop surface extends approximately perpendicularly with respect to the supporting element. The adaptor has a button above the spring clip, which button is connected to said adaptor via a spring tongue and projects beyond the upper edges of the side walls of said adaptor. The side walls of said adaptor have respectively a protruding guide rail on the lower edges thereof, a stop being provided on each guide rail.